Faith in Jesus Christ is our response to God's elective purpose in our life. These two truths–God's initiative and man's response–co-exist throughout the Bible. The gospel is "the message of truth" because truth is its predominant characteristic. Salvation was conceived by the God of truth (Ps. 31:5); purchased by the Son, who is the truth (John 14:6); and is applied by the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). To know it is to know the truth that sets men free (John 8:32). Believers are people of the truth (John 18:37), who worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), and who obey the Word of truth (John 17:17). People have rejected, neglected, redefined, and opposed God’s truth for centuries. Some cynically deny that truth even exists or that it can be known by men (John 18:38). Others foolishly think that denying truth will somehow make it go away. Truth determines the validity of one's belief. Believing a lie doesn't make it true. Conversely, failing to believe the truth doesn't make it a lie. The gospel is true because Jesus is true, not simply because Christians believe in Him. His resurrection proved the truth of His claims and constitutes the objective basis of our faith (Rom. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:3). Truth is our protection and strength (Eph. 6:14). Throughout history, people have tried everything imaginable to gain favor with God. Most turn to religion, but religion apart from Christ is merely a satanic counterfeit of the truth. At the heart of every false religion is the notion that man can come to God by any means he chooses–by meditating, doing good deeds, and so on. But Scripture says, "There is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). That name is Jesus Christ, and we come to Him by confessing and repenting of our sin, trusting in His atoning death on the cross, and affirming His bodily resurrection from the grave (cf. Rom. 10:9-10). There is no other way to God. False religious leaders and teachers talk much about God’s love, but not His wrath and holiness; much about how deprived of good things people are, but not about their depravity; much about God’s universal fatherhood toward everyone, but not much about his unique fatherhood toward all who believe in His Son; much about what God wants to give to us, but nothing about the necessity of obedience to Him; much about health and happiness, but nothing about holiness and sacrifice. Their message is full of gaps, the greatest of which leaves out a biblical worldview of the saving gospel and replaces it with the worldview of postmodernism with its dominant ethical system of relativism. The Bible describes mankind in the end times: “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7). Spiritual answers cannot be deduced by human reason alone (1 Cor. 2:14). It’s not that spiritual truth is irrational or illogical, but that human wisdom is defective, because it’s tainted by man’s sinfulness, and unable to perceive the things of God. That is why the Bible is so important. It gives us the answers we can’t find on our own. It is God’s Word to mankind. Scripture is divinely revealed truth that fills the vacuum of spiritual ignorance in all of us. Post-truth is the word of the year for 2016 and also the philosophy of the day, According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. In a “post-truth” world, people make choices based on emotion and experience rather than objective fact. So in a post-truth world, truth is irrelevant. What exactly is a post-truth culture? It’s a culture where truth is no longer an objective reality. It has become subjective. It’s what’s true for me—my beliefs, my opinions, determine my truth. So in our post-truth culture, man determines truth. Man makes himself the ultimate authority. This starting point, which rejects God’s Word and the idea of moral absolutes, makes truth subjective. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Christianity is grounded in objective truth. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Objective truth exists because we have God’s Word. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Thy word is truth” (John 17:17), and Paul and James describe the Bible as “the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:18). The Psalmist says, “The entirety of your word is truth” (Psalm 119:160). Jesus Himself said, “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37). When Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by me” (John 14:6), He wasn’t expressing His personal belief or opinion. He was speaking the truth, a fundamental reality that doesn’t change from person to person. It doesn’t matter if our culture thinks all roads lead to God. The truth of the matter is “no one comes to the Father but by [Jesus].” This blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell

Daily Archives: March 7, 2017

Mar. 7, 2017 |

BLOOMBERG

Republicans unveiled their long-awaited legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, proposing to phase out key parts of the law over several years as they try to break a stalemate between moderates and conservatives in their party.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer refused on Monday to explain President Donald Trump’s explosive allegation that his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, had ordered surveillance against him.

The U.S. Air Force is retiring one of its earliest combat drones, the MQ1-Predator, an aircraft that provided war fighters an unmatched battlefield surveillance tool. With armaments added, the vehicle pushed mechanized killing into the unmanned age, allowing remote pilots to dole out death from above.

President Trump jumped back into the debate over drug pricing, sending pharmaceutical stocks down again with a tweet promising to lower medicine costs for American people.

Since June 2014, when the ECB cut rates below zero, deposits at euro-zone banks have jumped by 802 billion euros ($848 billion), according to central bank data through the end of January. Lending to nonfinancial companies and consumers in the currency area rose by 169 billion euros over the same period, while deposits at the ECB in excess of required reserves soared by 1.1 trillion euros.

AP Top Stories

A Syrian air force pilot who bailed out as his warplane crashed on Turkish territory told a Turkish rescue team his MiG-23 had been shot down, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Sunday.

One of Africa’s oldest and largest elephants was killed by poachers in Kenya on Monday, according to a conservation group that protects the dwindling group of giant “tuskers”.

China will raise its defense budget by about 7 percent this year, a government spokeswoman said Saturday, continuing a trend of lowered growth amid a slowing economy despite regional tensions over the South China Sea and other issues.

India’s national airline claimed Monday to have set a new record with the first round-the-world flight staffed entirely by women.

Thousands of people are expected to converge in the city of Selma, Alabama for the annual re-enactment of a key event in the civil rights movement.

A former Guantanamo Bay inmate was killed in a US air strike in Yemen last week, the Defense Department said, as part of a stepped-up campaign against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Tesla is currently investigating what may have caused a Model S P85 to catch fire while at one of the company’s Supercharger stations in Shanghai, China. The incident occurred late last week, and curiously enough, initial reports indicate that the car wasn’t actively charging at the time the fire began to spread.

The United States started to deploy the first elements of its advanced anti-missile defense system in South Korea on Tuesday after North Korea’s test of four ballistic missiles, U.S. Pacific Command said, despite angry opposition from China.

The United States is considering separating immigrant children from their parents in a bid to deter illegal migration, Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said on Monday.

South Korea will ban imports of U.S. poultry after a strain of H7 bird flu virus was confirmed at a U.S. chicken farm, the agriculture ministry said on Monday.

How hot are Earth’s scorching insides? A sweltering 2,570 degrees Fahrenheit, a new study finds. The discovery reveals that the mantle under Earth’s oceans – the area just below the crust that extends down to the planet’s inner liquid core – is almost 110 degrees F hotter than scientists previously thought, the researchers said. The finding will help scientists more accurately model Earth’s many geodynamic processes, including plate tectonics.

BBC

Sudan and Somalia, countries targeted under a new US travel ban passed by President Donald Trump, have attacked the move, along with the United Nations.

The impact of the Zika virus on infected Canadian travellers was “more severe” than expected, say researchers.

Brazil has been in recession for two years, the latest figures show, marking the deepest economic decline since records began. The economy contracted by 3.6% in 2016, meaning it is now 8% smaller than it was in December 2014. The two-year slump has seen the number of unemployed rise by 76% to 12.9 million, a rate of 12.6%.

Traffic signals depicting pedestrians in dresses have been unveiled in Australia as part of a gender equality campaign. The trial program in Melbourne is designed to “reduce unconscious bias”.

Iraqi forces say they have retaken the main government offices in Mosul as the offensive continues to oust the so-called Islamic State (IS) group. The advance could pave the way for an attack on the heavily-populated old city, where the militants are still entrenched.

WND

WikiLeaks on Tuesday released what it said is the full hacking capacity of the CIA in a stunning 8,000-plus page disclosure the anti-secrecy website contends is “the largest ever publication of confidential documents on the agency.”

It’s being billed as “A Day Without a Woman,” but apparently only pro-union, pro-choice, anti-Israel women who can afford to skip work need apply. The one-day “general strike” is coming under fire from the right and the left for its mixed political messages, as well as the havoc caused by the closure of some schools Wednesday driven by anticipated staff absences.

When President Trump issued an executive order “protecting the nation from foreign terrorist entry” into America Monday, he also called for a report on foreign nationals charged with and convicted of terrorism-related offenses, including so-called “honor killings” committed in the U.S.

Madagascar Braces for Extreme Rains From Category 2 Tropical Cyclone EnawoDangerous Category 2 Tropical Cyclone Enawo was plowing westwards at 6 mph on Monday morning towards Madagascar, and is expected to make landfall on the island on Tuesday morning. The storm is passing over waters of 29°C—approximately 0.5°C above average in temperature—and is an unusually wet storm, with amounts of water vapor near the very high end of what is observed in tropical cyclones.

Archeologists discover 2,000-year-old ‘Emperor’s Road’ near Beit Shemesh
A wide and well-preserved 2,000-year-old road dating to the Roman period was unearthed last month during archaeological excavations carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority and students near Beit Shemesh. The dig, located just off of Highway 375, was conducted prior to laying a water pipeline to Jerusalem at the initiative of the Beit Shemesh water corporation Mei Shemesh.

IDF forces defuse two explosive devices found near Gaza border
Two explosive charges found near the border fence with the Gaza Strip were defused by IDF troops on Tuesday morning, the army said. According to the statement, the two charges that had been laid in an off-limits area in the Northern Gaza Strip, were planted in order to harm IDF troops. After they were neutralized the charges were taken in for further examination.

‘ISIS fighters trying to flee Mosul, Iraqi forces to prevail’
A US general in the international coalition in Iraq says that Islamic State forces defending western Mosul are disorganized and some foreign fighters are trying to leave the city. Government forces nontheless face a “very hard fight” in the battle for the city but they will prevail, US Air Force Brigadier General Matthew Isler said.

Europe court backs Belgium’s rejection of visa to Syrians
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has backed a Belgian decision to refuse a humanitarian visa to a Syrian family. The family of five, from Aleppo, had applied for a 90-day visa at the Belgian embassy in Lebanon, so they could later seek asylum in Belgium. Initially, the Court’s top adviser said Belgium was wrong to deny them a visa.

Syrian children in state of ‘toxic stress’, Save the Children says
Millions of Syrian children could be living in a state of “toxic stress” due to prolonged exposure to the horrors of war, aid group Save the Children says. The damage to an entire generation of children could soon become irreversible without immediate help, it adds. The stress of war has led to increased bedwetting, self-harm, suicide attempts and aggressive behaviour among many children, according to a new report.

North Korea says missiles were drill for strike on US bases
Nuclear-armed North Korea said Tuesday its missile launches were training for a strike on US bases in Japan, as global condemnation of the regime swelled. Three of the four missiles fired Monday came down provocatively close to US ally Japan, in waters that are part of its exclusive economic zone, representing a challenge to US President Donald Trump.

Missile defense system that China opposes arrives in South Korea
The first pieces of a US-built missile defense system designed to mitigate the threat of North Korean missiles arrived at the Osan Air Base in South Korea Monday night, according to the US military. The announcement comes just a day after North Korea test-fired four ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.

Bizarre ‘megaship’ captured by International Space Station camera before Nasa ‘dims the feed’
A bizarre ‘megaship’ has allegedly been captured by an International Space Station (ISS) camera before Nasa reportedly dims the feed. Conspiracy theorists are claiming that the footage could have been altered by the independent space agency to make the objects ‘disappear’. In the clip, a long ‘cigar-shaped’ UFO is seen hovering above the Earth’s horizon with two bright reflective-objects sitting just below.

Trump signs revised travel ban in bid to overcome legal challenges
President Donald Trump signed a revised executive order on Monday banning citizens from six Muslim-majority nations from traveling to the United States but removing Iraq from the list, after his controversial first attempt was blocked in the courts. The new order, which takes effect on March 16, keeps a 90-day ban on travel to the United States by citizens of Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

Schlichter Warns “Watch The Liberals – All They Have Left Is Lies”“Watch the liberals. Listen to what they say, because their lies and their slanders are a road map to their plans for the future. Straightforward from here, given the chance, they absolutely intend to impose the kind of quasi-fascist rule they falsely accuse Trump of contemplating. But their problem is that we now recognize their lies, and we see their endgame, and the collapse of the media gatekeepers means they can no longer keep us blind and isolated. “

As U.S. aid to Pakistan shrinks, in steps ChinaPakistani leaders often wax lyrical about their “sweeter than honey” relations with all-weather friend China. There’s no romance about their marriage of convenience with America. As the Trump administration plots its policy toward a key partner, it will find Pakistan being drawn deeper into Beijing’s embrace and its promise of $46 billion in energy, infrastructure and industry investments by 2030. The money could transform the Muslim nation’s economy.

China’s Banking System Hits $33 Trillion, Overtaking The Eurozone As World’s Largest
Chinese bank assets hit $33 trillion at the end of 2016, versus $31 trillion for the eurozone, $16 trillion for the US and $7 trillion for Japan. The value of China’s banking system is now more than 310% the size of its GDP, compared to “only” 280% for the eurozone and its banks. China’s bank assets are projected to grow by $3.3 trillion in 2017.

The Briefing 03-07-17

Supreme Court announces it will not hear major transgender bathroom case, sending back to lower court

An army of subversives is attempting to undermine the Trump administration from within the government, and at the same time a whole host of prominent leftist leaders are fueling the flames of hate against Trump and are promoting riots, civil uprisings and in some cases even violence. And of course the mainstream media is a more than willing accomplice, because pretty much everyone that works in the mainstream media absolutely hates Donald Trump. On a fundamental level, the United States is more divided today than it has been in any of our lifetimes, and the radical left is treating the presidency of Donald Trump as if it was the end of the world. We are seeing terms such as “Nazi”, “racist” and “dictator” thrown around very casually, but people need to understand that words really matter. When subversives on the left use such inflammatory language, there is a very real danger that they could actually spark a violent insurrection against the United States government. (Read More…)

If you didn’t know better, you might be tempted to think that “Space Available” was the hottest new retail chain in the entire country. As you will see below, it is being projected that about a third of all shopping malls in the United States will soon close, and we just recently learned that the number of “distressed retailers” is the highest that it has been since the last recession. Honestly, I don’t know how anyone can possibly believe that the U.S. economy is in “good shape” after looking at the retail industry. In my recent article about the ongoing “retail apocalypse“, I discussed the fact that Sears, J.C. Penney and Macy’s have all announced that they are closing dozens of stores in 2017, and you can find a pretty comprehensive list of 19 U.S. retailers that are “on the brink of bankruptcy” right here. Needless to say, quite a bloodbath is going on out there right now. (Read More…)

ALAN KEYES — There is a very disturbing pattern here. We declare Jesus’ message and critique rival beliefs such as Islam. Some people don’t like what we say, and threaten violence to silence us. Then, instead of defending free speech and protecting us, the police shut down free speech to avoid public disorder. And then a court convicts us of provoking disorder and risking violence! (Michael Stockwell, convicted street preacher)… (more)

CLIFF KINCAID — Host Chris Wallace of “Fox News Sunday” spent most of his Sunday show on the subject of whether there is any evidence of Trump officials colluding with Russia to affect the 2016 presidential election. “On the Russian collusion, there’s a lot of smoke, no evidence,” said panelist Bob Woodward of Washington Post Watergate fame…. (more)

JOSEPH FARAH — After Donald Trump blew the whistle on the eavesdropping of his 2016 campaign headquarters by Barack Obama’s administration, few in the media or elsewhere seem to be asking the obvious questions: Was it legal? Was it ethical – – in the American way?… (more)

ANDREW C. MCCARTHY — President Trump’s early Saturday morning tweeting has exploded to the forefront an uncovered scandal I’ve been talking about since early January (including in this weekend’s column): The fact that the Obama Justice Department and the FBI investigated associates of Donald Trump, and likely Trump himself, in the heat of the presidential campaign…. (more)

CHRISTOPHER RUDDY — When I woke up Sunday, I thought the morning news shows would all be talking about the unusual, perhaps dangerous, decision of the Obama administration to wiretap the offices of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump…. (more)

TELEGRAPH — Donald Trump escalated his war with Barack Obama as a committee in Congress agreed to look into his claims that the former president and his administration abused executive powers in last year’s election…. (more)

WASHINGTON TIMES — Russian conspiracy allegations will continue to dog the White House until President Trump gets a handle on the administration’s opponents inside the U.S. intelligence community who are driving the story, warned Republican strategists in Washington…. (more)

DICK MORRIS — Dick Morris exposes the chilling plans, micromanaged by Barack Obama, Michele Obama, and Valerie Jarrett, to destroy the presidency of Donald Trump in a way unprecedented in American history. WATCH…. (more)

GINNI THOMAS — President Donald Trump has been leading America for some 45 days, and Democrats are hysterical in using every trick in their book to make governance impossible. They have slow-walked nominations, systematically leaked damaging, classified information to friendly reporters , disrupted Republican town halls, “flynned” Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and threw a cultural fit because Hillary Clinton lost and they don’t want to give up power…. (more)

NEWSMAX — The superiority of the U.S. armed forces will soon be surpassed by Russia and China, retired Gen. Wesley Clark warned on Sunday. “It is a story the American public needs to hear,” Clark said in an interview with John Catsimatidis aired Sunday on New York’s AM 970: More money is needed for the defense budget on a sustained basis, and President Donald Trump’s proposal to add $54 billion won’t cut it…. (more)

WASHINGTON TIMES — President Trump on Saturday accused former President Obama of tapping his phones at Trump Tower during the campaign, saying he was targeted with “Nixon/Watergate” and “McCarthyism” tactics. Mr. Obama denied the allegation Saturday afternoon through a spokesman…. (more)

NEWSMAX — A spokesman for former President Barack Obama strongly denied President Donald Trump’s tweeted accusation that his predecessor had his Trump Tower offices wiretapped, while another former Obama official cautioned to be careful while considering the official statement…. (more)

WASHINGTON EXAMINER — Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., on Saturday said the country is “in the midst of a civilization-warping crisis of public trust” following President Trump’s alleging the Obama administration wire-tapped the campaign headquarters last October…. (more)

THE FEDERALIST PAPERS — The media is hiding something about President Trump’s Saturday morning tweets about surveillance at Trump Tower. Namely, that the evidence they deny exists was heavily reported on at the time of the tapping. While story after story breaks on Trump’s assertion that Trump Tower’s phones were tapped, with headlines repeating the phrase “no evidence” again and again, it’s easy to believe that lie…. (more)

CSC MEDIA GROUP — In an interview with Bret Baier on Friday, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) was asked directly if he believed the Obama administration had been responsible for wire tapping Trump Tower in October, 2016 – -a month prior to the election…. (more)

CLIFF KINCAID — The House Intelligence Committee has released the “Scope of Investigation” for its inquiry into the alleged Russian active measures campaign targeting the 2016 U.S. election. One item on the agenda is “What possible leaks of classified information took place related to the Intelligence Community Assessment of these matters?” That is an easy one…. (more)

JUDIE BROWN — While animal welfare is a very urgent concern for some in the philosophical and political community, there is a point in their arguments that represents a bridge too far. One such example of this is the statement that some animals deserve the protection of nonhuman personhood…. (more)

FRANCIS MARION MEMORIAL — General Francis Marion, known as “The Swamp Fox,” was a Revolutionary officer from Berkeley County, South Carolina. Even though he was a commissioned officer in the South Carolina Second Regiment, he also led a band of irregular fighters in the back- and low-country swamps of South Carolina fighting the British troops under Lord Cornwallis…. (more)

GREG COROMBOS — Conservatives in Congress are increasingly frustrated by what has been leaked about the Obamacare repeal legislation and by what they see as a lack of transparency, even as House Speaker Paul Ryan insists Republicans are all on the same page and predicts unity on a final vote…. (more)

GARTH KANT — As Democrats and the major media attack Attorney General Jeff Sessions and push claims of the Kremlin’s influence on the Trump administration and Russian interference in the presidential election, one of the nation’s most prominent conservatives insists there really is a huge scandal…. (more)

WESLEY PRUDEN — Benjamin Franklin has been trying for years to give the Republicans needed advice from the grave, and they never listen. “We must indeed all hang together,” Franklin told his fellow conspirators in Philadelphia, “or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”… (more)

LIFE SITE NEWS — “Pope Francis has urged us to have fewer children to make the world more sustainable,” a panelist at a Vatican-run workshop on “how to save the natural world” claimed on Thursday. This solution to securing the world’s sustainability was presented by botanist and environmentalist Peter Raven during a press conference that concluded the “Biological Extinction” workshop that took place at the Vatican earlier this week…. (more)

NEWSMAX — Following two days of airstrikes against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) targets in Yemen, it was revealed Friday that President Donald Trump has granted his military commanders the power to authorize military strikes in certain countries without his permission…. (more)

Selected Scriptures

Code: A335

With that brief question Jesus Christ confronted His followers with the most important issue they would ever face. He had spent much time with them and made some bold claims about His identity and authority. Now the time had come for them either to believe or deny His teachings.

Who do you say Jesus is? Your response to Him will determine not only your values and lifestyle, but your eternal destiny as well.

Consider what the Bible says about Him:

JESUS IS GOD

While Jesus was on earth there was much confusion about who He was. Some thought He was a wise man or a great prophet. Others thought He was a madman. Still others couldn’t decide or didn’t care. But Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). That means He claimed to be nothing less than God in human flesh.

Many people today don’t understand that Jesus claimed to be God. They’re content to think of Him as little more than a great moral teacher. But even His enemies understood His claims to deity. That’s why they tried to stone Him to death (John 5:18; 10:33) and eventually had Him crucified (John 19:7).

C.S. Lewis observed, “You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to” (Mere Christianity [Macmillan, 1952], pp. 40-41).

As God, Jesus embodied every element of God’s character. Colossians 2:9 says, “In Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form.” He was perfectly holy (Hebrews 4:15). Even His enemies couldn’t prove any accusation against Him (John 8:46)

God requires holiness of us as well. First Peter 1:16 says, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

JESUS IS THE SAVIOR

Our failure to obey God—to be holy—places us in danger of eternal punishment (2 Thessalonians 1:9). The truth is, we cannot obey Him because we have neither the desire nor the ability to do so. We are by nature rebellious toward God (Ephesians 2:1-3). The Bible calls our rebellion “sin.” According to Scripture, everyone is guilty of sin: “There is no man who does not sin” (1 Kings 8:46). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And we are incapable of changing our sinful condition. Jeremiah 13:23 says, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.”

That doesn’t mean we’re incapable of performing acts of human kindness. We might even be involved in various religious or humanitarian activities. But we’re utterly incapable of understanding, loving, or pleasing God on our own. The Bible says, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one” (Romans 3:10-12).

God’s holiness and justice demand that all sin be punished by death: “The soul who sins will die” (Ezekiel 18:4). That’s hard for us to understand because we tend to evaluate sin on a relative scale, assuming some sins are less serious than others. However, the Bible teaches that all acts of sin are the result of sinful thinking and evil desires. That’s why simply changing our patterns of behavior can’t solve our sin problem or eliminate its consequences. We need to be changed inwardly so our thinking and desires are holy

Jesus is the only one who can forgive and transform us, thereby delivering us from the power and penalty of sin: “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Even though God’s justice demands death for sin, His love has provided a Savior, who paid the penalty and died for sinners: “Christ … died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Christ’s death satisfied the demands of God’s justice, thereby enabling Him to forgive and save those who place their faith in Him (Romans 3:26). John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” He alone is “our great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13).

JESUS IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE OBJECT OF SAVING FAITH

Some people think it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere. But without a valid object your faith is useless

If you take poison—thinking it’s medicine—all the faith in the world won’t restore your life. Similarly, if Jesus is the only source of salvation, and you’re trusting in anyone or anything else for your salvation, your faith is useless.

Many people assume there are many paths to God and that each religion represents an aspect of truth. But Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6). He didn’t claim to be one of many equally legitimate paths to God, or the way to God for His day only. He claimed to be the only way to God—then and forever.

JESUS IS LORD

Contemporary thinking says man is the product of evolution. But the Bible says we were created by a personal God to love, serve, and enjoy endless fellowship with Him

The New Testament reveals it was Jesus Himself who created everything (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). Therefore He also owns and rules everything (Psalm 103:19). That means He has authority over our lives and we owe Him absolute allegiance, obedience, and worship.

Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Confessing Jesus as Lord means humbly submitting to His authority (Philippians 2:10-11). Believing that God has raised Him from the dead involves trusting in the historical fact of His resurrection—the pinnacle of Christian faith and the way the Father affirmed the deity and authority of the Son (Romans 1:4; Acts 17:30-31).

True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is more than simply being sorry for sin. It is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin and pursue holiness (Isaiah 55:7). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15); and “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine” (John 8:31).

It isn’t enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (James 2:19), but they don’t love and obey Him. Their faith is not genuine. True saving faith always responds in obedience (Ephesians 2:10).

Jesus is the sovereign Lord. When you obey Him you are acknowledging His lordship and submitting to His authority. That doesn’t mean your obedience will always be perfect, but that is your goal. There is no area of your life that you withhold from Him.

JESUS IS THE JUDGE

All who reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior will one day face Him as their Judge: “God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

Second Thessalonians 1:7-9 says, “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”

HOW WILL YOU RESPOND?

Who does the Bible say Jesus is? The living God, the Holy One, the Savior, the only valid object of saving faith, the sovereign Lord, and the righteous Judge.

Who do you say Jesus is? That is the inescapable question. He alone can redeem you—free you from the power and penalty of sin. He alone can transform you, restore you to fellowship with God, and give your life eternal purpose. Will you repent and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

— Augustine

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Ps. Chris Rosebrough from ‘Fighting For The Faith’ and ‘Pirate Christian Radio’ writes,

The Shack Movie Bombs as “Evangelism Tool”

“Just a few weeks ago Cru gave an non-endorsement/endorsement of the movie The Shack and even put together some study questions in the hopes that The Shack would be a great evangelism tool to introduce unbelieving friends and neighbors to Christianity. Now that the movie has been released how has the pagan world received The Shack? Have they thoughtfully begun considering becoming Christians as a result of this movie?

It would appear that the answer is an emphatic NO!

Here are just some of the reviews of the movie offered by secular critics:

“It’s one of those movies where you’ll either decide to give in right away and sob for two hours straight…

“The Hillsong Epicentre is the second stage of a two stage project. Stage one included the 300 seat Hillsong Chapel and carpark, which were completed in 2006. Stage two incorporates a 500 seat auditorium with foyer and back of house facilities including: a green room, guest room, storage, a loading bay, a professional TV studio & TV control room, 3 TV edit suites, a smaller college training TV studio, a professional sound studio with 8 professional sound edit suites, a smaller college training sound studio with 4 edit suites, 3 band rehearsal rooms, 9 music practice rooms, 20 classrooms, 2 large seminar / meeting rooms that will be used by the college during the week and children’s ministries on Sundays, a specialised preschool children’s playroom, a large youth area, carpark area providing spaces for 300 cars. The Hillsong Epicentre is currently under construction and is due to be completed in January 2017.” [Source]

It appears that Laura Toggs (Laura Houston) has already decided what she…

25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25 (NASB)

We live in an evil time. There are large numbers of “Christian” leaders who claim to be ministers of God, but prove by their words and actions to have thrown off the authority of God. They do what is right in their own eyes while claiming that they are only following the leading of the Holy Spirit. The fact that what they say or do is unbiblical seems to trouble very few. When some point out the truth to them, they claim that God has lead them to do what they do so it must be okay and those who protest are just legalistic.

Like this:

Here is the difference between Jesus and the law: The law tells you what to do, but it can’t give you the power to do it. Jesus tells you what to do, and he gives you the power to do it. That is where strength, hope, and faith begin. It begins because the Son of God has come. It does not begin in us. It begins in him.

Listen to how the apostle Paul puts it: “God has done what the law…could not do” (Romans 8:3). What could the law not do? The law could not forgive past sins, and it could not empower future obedience.

So, how did God do what the law could not do? He did it “by sending his own Son…” What did the Son of God do, that would forgive past sins and empower future obedience?

“He condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3). By dying on the cross, where his flesh was torn and his blood was shed, Jesus Christ made provision for all of our past sins.

But it does not end there. He rose from the dead, and as the living Lord and the ascended Savior, he works by his Holy Spirit to give strength, hope, and faith.

He did all this “in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4).

I was reading this week about a woman who endured a long period of darkness and depression. When, by God’s grace, she finally got relief, this was her testimony: “I realized after all these years that I was looking to find in myself what I needed to find in him.”

The good news for the person without strength, without hope, and without faith today is that it does not lie in you. It lies in Jesus. There is a Savior who can be trusted, and in him there is hope and there is strength for you.

“These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). There is a Savior whose Word brings strength to the powerless, hope to the hopeless, and faith to the faithless. May his Word bring new strength, new hope, and new faith to all of us today.

Like this:

Self-righteousness is rampant in our churches. Pews are packed every week with Pharisees who are under the impression they are doing everything right. Scripture, however, paints a woefully different picture. Far from thinking we have “arrived” or that we are superior to others, we should feel a need for dependence on the righteousness of Christ.

Instead of raising our spiritual noses at those struggling with sin, we should humbly bow before the Savior, knowing we too are sinners saved by God’s grace. Instead of thinking of ourselves as righteous, we should thank and praise God for sending His Son to die for our sin.

Even though we should humble ourselves before our Savior, we often don’t. We have a tendency to act like we are the ones who make ourselves righteous by our own efforts, instead of relying on Christ’s work. Often, we can fall into the pit of self-righteousness without even knowing it.

In an effort to help us create self-awareness and keep us out of the trap, here are 11 characteristics of the self-righteous adapted from Paul Tripp’s book, Dangerous Calling.

11 Characteristics of The Self-Righteous

1. They do not see their walk with God as a community project.

2. They do not work well with others.

3. They consistently believe they are right and know best.

4. They are resistant to change.

5. They do not respond well when reminded they need to change.

6. They do not desire others exhortation or admonition, even getting angry at times.

7. They are not patient with those who mess up, struggle with sin or have lost their way.

8. They do not deal well with opposition or accusations.

9. They will consistently wonder why God has singled them out for difficulty.

10. They do not see a need to admit or confess their sin.

11. They consistently point out the sin of others with an air of superiority.

Like this:

Over at Pulpit & Pen Matt Sherro puts forward what he believes are the characteristics of apostates:

There is a danger that has come into the sheepfold; apostates have come in and they probably have always been here. However, with the prevalence of social media, their influence has spread and it is more important than ever before to recognize the marks of an apostate, a person who at one time knew and maybe even taught the truths of the Bible but walked away or a person who consistently teaches false doctrines to the Church. Jude, the Lord’s youngest human brother, points out several signs of an apostate and I want to draw your attention to them.

Book of Jude (HCSB),

1 Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James: To those who are the called, loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ.

2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

3 Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write and exhort you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all. 4 For some men, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.

Right away we begin to see the characteristics of the Apostates that Jude warns about…